FYCC Speech and Debate Bootcamp - Zahra Dinkins (5 Points)

Reflecting on my experience during the First Year Class Council (FYCC) Speech and Debate Bootcamp, I feel accomplished. I feel accomplished in the public speaking skills I gained. I feel accomplished in the friendships I built. I feel accomplished in the strength of the understanding I have over the power of debate to encourage impactful advocacy and the power of speech to encourage effective communication. Through three stations, I developed confidence in the power of my voice. Station 1 was speech strategies. As each FYCC candidate had to give a speech to the freshman class a week later, this station was focused on ensuring success by providing candidates with the tools of relatability and persuasion through exercises of establishing issues for the freshman class and generating solutions. Not only was I able to practice strategic thinking through the process of generating solutions but I was also able to build ideas off of others, revealing to me the value of collaboration. Station 2 was tips and tricks for speech recitation. In this station, I recited a song as a speech and then received feedback on my delivery. The feedback on my delivery showed me the importance of pacing, enunciation, and inflection in speech recitation. It is my understanding of the importance of these central elements of speech recitation that I will carry with me in every speech recitation I do. Station 3 was impromptu practice. For this station, I received a question relating to the FYCC position I was seeking and had to give an answer immediately after the question was asked. The thinking on my feet that the immediate answer required revealed to me the importance of research because it is proper research that can best prepare one for being knowledgeable on a subject. All of the stations allowed me to learn the value of exercising the Reflective Autonomy Habit of Mind. This habit of mind forwards the importance of authenticity in thinking critically about one’s beliefs and actions. After completing all the stations, I found the true meaning behind the importance of authenticity because staying true to oneself is not only beneficial for personal wellbeing but also for ensuring the wellbeing of others.